Land management

Well-managed land helps to optimise the greatest environmental, social and economic benefits to the community. Crown land managers (CLMs) are responsible for policies and procedures relating to land management on their reserves, protecting and enhancing the environmental values of natural areas.

LAND MANAGEMENT

Crown land has significant spiritual, social, cultural and economic importance to the Aboriginal people of NSW. There are various legal mechanisms in place to protect places and objects of heritage significance to Aboriginal people.

Once privately owned and operated as an antimony mine, the Urunga Wetlands site on the NSW mid-north coast was transferred to Crown land ownership.

The site was heavily contaminated with heavy metals including antimony, arsenic, lead, mercury and reagent residues of cyanide and cresylic acid. This caused large-scale die-back of the swamp paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia) and damage to the habitat of the wetland for birds, plants and fish.

Following a $10 million program of extensive remediation and parkland work, the site has been transformed from a once barren wasteland to a lively wetland habitat enjoyed by bird watchers and other nature lovers.

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This Crown land manager web resource was printed on 7 Jun 2020. The information contained in this web resource is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing Jun 2020. However, because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to ensure that the information upon which they rely is up to date and to check the currency of the information by referring to the website (www.reservemanager.nsw.gov.au).